Starting Solids: A What You Need Guide

Solids, foods, baby, eat, milestones

 


Mummy Confession: I have a love/hate relationship with introducing solids.

I love this adventure, because it means my little bitty baby is growing well. I hate a little bit that it spoils bub’s somewhat “easy” fix for sustenance. (Solids don’t replace milk or formula, but are an addition.)

In the beginning, there is no menu to plan, no food to buy or prepare, dishes to wash (besides bottles and the like) and no disgust for the food I cook. When babes are little they get what they get, and they don’t complain.

It’s adorable to watch them immerse themselves in the brand new exploration of tastes and textures, whether you feed purees or do baby led weaning. Personally, my kids do a bit of both. They have always loved spoons for some reason.

I’ve compiled a list of things that I’ve gotten in preparation for our sooner-than-I’m-ready-for-it journey into the land of foods. And I will say, they have come out with some pretty cool stuff since my last babe!

Keep in mind: Introducing solids usually starts around 6 months old, but please consult with your doctor or medical professional beforehand if you want any resources in regards to the process. I’m no expert, and I know there are differing perspectives on the appropriate age to introduce food and how to go about doing it. I have included some resources below for your convenience, but feel free to check out my Pinterest board for some more ideas on milestones and related topics. 

Now, you don’t NEED all of these products, usually any bowl, utensils and cup be fine, but look how stinkin’ cute this all is! And I will say the no-spill cups are more than just a gimmick, as I prefer my carpets to be dry. I delve into the varieties of sippy cups here.

*Disclosure,: Some of the products listed were provided, but this does not influence or change my opinion. I absolutely love everything I have listed and recommended here! This post contains affiliate links, which means I make commissions from qualifying sales. See my disclosure policy for details.

1. Cup– Obviously you need something to hold the water as you introduce that alongside solid foods. They don’t need too much at first, so just a tiny bit will do nicely. Check out my guide for cups here if you are flustered about the choices. For my bub, I have the Avent Penguin Sippy (he got it for Christmas). It’s a harder spout with a soft feel.


2. Bowl/plate– Rather than the food starting on the floor, it’s probably a good idea to keep it contained as much as possible! I love this plate from *Baby Bjorn! It is a bit deeper than your typical plate-making it perfect from first foods or purees through to when bubs navigates the use of using his own utensils!

3. Utensils– Something for you to feed baby, and have them feed themselves as well! Check out these *Baby Bjorn spoon and fork set! With a chunky easy-grip handle for you or baby, they make great first utensils. The fork is even more similar to a spork, making it easy to scoop as well.

4. Bib– In order to lessen the mess and minimise cleanup, it’s a good idea to purchase a bib for bub! The design of this *Baby Bjorn Bib is amazing! The nifty bit at the bottom helps to catch food if it should fall (and we all know how messy feeding can be)! It’s also made of BPA free plastic, so no wet and soggy mess covering your bub’s shirt! It’s easy to wipe off, rinse off, and is dishwasher safe!

(May I just add that Baby Bjorn has all of the above products available in a handy pack as well- the Bib, plate and utensils-all the tools you need for starting your baby’s journey into solids! Feel free to check out their online store here, or Amazon for those who live Stateside. And for the Aussies, if you review your Baby Bjorn products on their website, you can be entered to win items from their kitchen range here!)


5. Wet wipes/washcloth– Any cloth will do, or maybe those baby wipes we all love to use for everything else will come in handy! You can even purchase hand and face wipes which are specifically for these sticky messes, and they come in convenient packs that can go in the nappy bag, a purse, or the bottom of the pram. For my sensitive baby, I just use a clean wash cloth and water.

6. Food– Whether you do Baby Led Weaning or purees, you will need something to feed baby. We do a little bit of both. Sometimes I even cook and purée my own food using my Baby Bullet. Because I don’t have a huge amount of time on my hands, we use a fair few pouches and already prepared things to help mama feed bubs nutritiously.

*Bellamy’s Organic has a beautiful range for those first food moments! Whether you are looking for Rice Ceral or pouches to feed on-the-go or at home, they have you covered! To add to the list, they even have pasta, teething rusks, and more (and these are just the starting foods!) Their food is made with all natural organic ingredients and no articifical additives. You can check out their store online (for my Aussies), or Amazon for my US friends. Several stores in Australia also stock their products, which you can search for here.


7. Snacks– For those moments in between meals, snacks are always good to have on hand, whether you are out or home! (Some snacks vary by age, so please follow the recommendations accordingly.)

My main snacks are by *Little Bellies who have a great selection of organic snack foods for your baby! Starting at 8 months, they carry a variety of puffs and other easily-dissolving, nutritious snacks for bub. They are my personal favourite, as the packaging is simply adorable, and my toddler is a huge fan of the blueberry puffs! You can find these in Woolworths or Coles (in store as well as online). They make a great extra to throw in your bag or nappy bag when you go out (and you can sneak a bite or two) to distract or keep little mouths and hands busy and little bellies happy! My toddler always comes running when she hears a bag crinkle now!

Solids, snack, snacks, little Bellies, snack food

8. Bathing products– Of course your baby is no expert when it comes to foods, and mess is inevitable! Have that bath ready for when your little munchkin finishes immersing themselves in their dinner! We use sensitive bath products for my eczema prone baby. (Tip: Some mums say it make sure it easier to feed baby with no more than a nappy to avoid sulking over stains later, too!)

9.  Camera– Maybe it’s the sap oozing out of me, but I have to get these first moments on camera. Plus, it’s super cute to see a baby covered in food. Have your camera, phone or video ready to record memories!

10. A Place To Sit– For them of course, but possibly for you as well! There are many types of high chairs, baby seats, and boosters when it comes to where they can be most comfortable. Pick something that lends itself to an easy clean. We have a high chair that adjusts in height, so baby can sit at the table level with us, or couch level if we feel exceptionally lazy.

Always be sure they are supervised, seated on something suited to feeding strapped in properly as they can be wiggly little things. 

11. Allergy Awareness– While allergies may not run in your family, it is best to be on the lookout for reactions when introducing new foods. Some mums follow the “4 day wait rule” when doing so, to ensure they pick up on any reactions. Though more geared to preparing your own foods, Momtastic has some excellent resources for recording baby’s reactions, preferences and listing foods to introduce to baby which you can find here.

If you have any suspicion about allergies, or wonder if something is normal while feeding baby, don’t hesitate to call your doctor to ask questions. If you believe a reaction could be life threatening, do not wait to call emergency services in your area.

Solids, taste, solid food, milestones

What is YOUR most essential item when starting off with new foods for baby and why?

Resources:
Bellamy’s Organic: Their website for their amazing organic food range as well as articles on nutrition, recipes, and videos.
Little Bellies: Their Website which lists the variety of snacks available

Baby Bjorn  Australia and United States: Websites with their amazing products, and “Inspiration” section with article to help parents.

Information on Starting Solids from Pregnancy, Birth & Baby, and RaisingChildren.net

Baby Led Weaning Resources from Momtastic, Baby Center, and Nestle

Momtastic Wholesome Baby Food Site: A website filled with information, advice, and recipes for pureeing your own baby food. Much of this can be used even in Baby Led Weaning or feeding pre-made foods.

The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook: All around informative book about Baby Led Weaning along with some handy recipes. Recipes can often be used without doing Baby Led Weaning.

Annabel Karmel‘s page with recipes and other helpful resources

Foods and Snacks from my Pinterest Board (not all are suitable for babies)

Mummy To Dex has a lovely, ever-growing Baby-led Weaning recipe section on her page!

30 thoughts on “Starting Solids: A What You Need Guide

  1. Angie Scheie says:

    I’m due in four weeks with my first so I know this will come in handy! It’s a little overwhelming right now but I’m pinning for future reference!!

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Definitely a good idea to Pin for later! My advice is not to get too consumed with what will be happening, but take each day and week as it comes, and enjoy the stages! Hopefully you can find some other helpful things around here for your bub if needed as well 🙂

  2. Jenny says:

    I don’t have kiddos yet but I will surely have to refer back to this when I do.

  3. Suzy @ In the Lyons Den says:

    Great list of items! It was such an exciting time and I loved watching their little faces when they tried new flavours and their eyes light up! Love those bibs too! Gosh I hated the cloth ones that needed to be thrown out after around 3 goes!!
    #humpdayhype

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Thanks! I know, I made the mistake of using super adorable cloth ones with my first. Those orange food stains never come out!

  4. Kell @ All Mum Said says:

    My essential item is a hose! haha. We eat outside as often as possible so we can just hose everything off when the little one is finished eating.

    • mummyconfessions says:

      ?? A hose would definitely come in very handy for some of those major messes!

  5. lu Szczudlo says:

    Icecube trays! I made my own purees and icecube trays were perfect for storing perfect little portions of puree for my perfect little girl… oh and a stick blender! convenient and easy to clean 🙂

    • mummyconfessions says:

      I agree they are quite useful! A nice and cheap option for portioning baby food!

  6. Alexandria Trichilo says:

    My thermomix became an essential for food prep because I could easily steam 3 different vegetables at once in the compartments and then whizz them into purees in seconds. Life saver! But of course then baby ate sooo much that I struggled to keep up and started with some pouches for on the go.

    • mummyconfessions says:

      That does sound handy! It does get to be a lot when they start eating more regularly! I am so thankful there are pouches, especially for when we go out!

  7. Amy Davies says:

    My most essential item is patience. I’m the same, I miss the easy food (breast milk!). Although if patience isn’t an item then I would have to say the cloth that I wipe my bub down with after. So annoying if he is losing it to leave and find then wet a cloth to wipe his hands and face. Efficiency and planning = less tears!

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Patience is a huge bonus!! And for sure a wet cloth! Anything to help with those messy times!

  8. Brooke says:

    My answer would be the highchair! My 6 month old makes a right mess at brekky, lunch & dinner and it’s easy to clean / wipe down after meals 🙂

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Most definitely!! At least their mess is contained to a limited space with a high chair!!

  9. Fi Morrison says:

    What a great list of things you need to start solids. As we just started solids with my boy a couple of months ago, I think having a plastic bib (instead of cloth) has been a life saver – although we got it a little later than we would have liked, would have saved many a bib from staining! I think also finding a cup that suits your bub. We had a sippy cup that our boy loved but broke, and when we tried replacing it with another sippy cup he didn’t like it. Finally we ended up with one with a straw and he loves it – so the importance of a good cup is key too! Thanks for sharing! Will also have to try those Little Bellies snacks – one way or another – as our boy is 8 months soon 😉
    #humpdayhype

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Thank you! I know, right?! I destroyed a few nice ones with other kids because I didn’t know much about what all is out there! This bib is an essential now! And definitely recommend the Little Bellies! Bubs is too small still, but his older sibling loves them! She’s been on a popcorn run, so these are a lot better for her!

    • mummyconfessions says:

      No worries! I hope it helps someone out there! 🙂

  10. Shannon says:

    Hi! Shannon here!

    I’m expecting my first child and these tips are great. I have no idea where to even start with starting solids or anything so I’m a complete noob at this. All this information truly helped. I’m for sure going to book mark this.

    Making a quick observation I would say my most essential item would be Dad! Haha I know solids is going to be one messy overload add on housework for mom so if dad is there a lot through out the feeding I’m sure he’ll most likely keep things undercontrol or even dive into the food fight fun! lol Also, a bib would be nice! =)

    xx Shannon / http://www.duedatediaries.com

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Hi Shannon! Congratulations! And I’m so glad you found this helpful! It is definitely beneficial to have a second set of hands to help, especially when there’s a lot of mess to clean! ? All the best with your bub, and I hope this site will be able to offer some helpful tips along the way!
      (I’m just sorry there’s not a ton here yet, as I’ve only recently started into this whole Blogging thing!)
      Have a lovely day!

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Thank you! I love sharing anything that was useful for me, hoping to help other parents! 🙂

  11. Madi says:

    My essential item for starting solids is definitely a bib that can catch all the food they drop/spit out. My daughter has a silicone dishwasher safe bib and its fantastic!
    Her ingenuity seat is also great (and easy to clean).

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Yes! The catch-all bibs are a great thing to have! I’ve heard good things about the ingenuity seat as well! Easy to clean is a must!

  12. Melissa Anne says:

    I found an ice cube tray great for freezing purees because 1 cube is a good amount to start with and when they are ready for more you can mix a couple of different foods together easily.

    • mummyconfessions says:

      Very true! It’s definitely handy to freeze them in cubes! Great suggestion!

  13. Julieanne says:

    Best piece of equipment – A bib that my little one can’t scrunch up and chew, it’s a fight between the bib or food! The one you have mentioned here looks amazing and I might just have to get us one!

    • mummyconfessions says:

      This bib is amazing! It can’t be scrunched up, as it’s harder (but not super hard) plastic. My bub had a little fight with it and gave up. ? The neck is adjustable on it as well, so you can get it nicely fitting!

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